Last Updated on: 5th July 2025, 08:57 am
Often touted as one of the top things to do in South Dakota’s Black Hills region, the Crazy Horse Memorial has been a work in progress since 1948, and it was initiated in response to nearby Mount Rushmore.
It’s a quick fifteen-minute drive from central Custer. But seeing how the massive sculpture is far from complete, the visiting experience can be rather confusing, especially if you’re expecting something similar to Mount Rushmore.
In this guide, we’ll be covering how to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and what to expect from your visit, along with a summary of Crazy Horse himself.
For more information on nearby accommodation and entrance fees, be sure to check the end of the article.
Who Was Crazy Horse?
Born into the Oglala band of the Lakota tribe, Crazy Horse was known as both a generous man and a fierce warrior who fought for his people in various battles of the Black Hills War.
He was recognized amongst both Native Americans and the US military for his fighting skills and bravery. While we’re not exactly certain of the year of his birth, he was born sometime around 1842.
Following the traumatic experience of witnessing his friend get shot in the back by US soldiers, he began experiencing visions. In one such vision, a warrior told him that if he dressed modestly, he wouldn’t be harmed in battle.
And in another vision, he found himself in the realm of spirits while riding his horse. And since nothing there was solid matter, his horse moved around as if it were a shadow. That’s how he became known as ‘Crazy Horse.’
And later while in actual battle, Crazy Horse was said to tap into that vision in order to evade enemy fire. Incredibly, despite participating in numerous battles, Crazy Horse was never shot.
Crazy Horse would help to defeat generals like Crook and Custer in battles like the Battle of the Hundred in the Hand, Red Cloud’s War, the Battle of Little Bighorn, and more.
Nevertheless, the Sioux Indians would eventually lose the war. And after Crazy Horse went on the run, he and over a thousand of his followers eventually went to Fort Robinson, Nebraska to surrender in 1877.
While the real details surrounding Crazy Horse’s death remain murky, he was supposedly stabbed by a bayonet during a scuffle with a guard.
Due to Crazy Horse’s character and bravery, it’s no wonder why he was chosen as the subject matter for this giant sculpture, which could also be thought of an homage to Native Americans as a whole.
If ever completed, it will be the largest sculpture in the world, measuring 563 feet (172 m) high by 641 feet (195 m) long.
Considering how Crazy Horse was never painted or photographed, the sculpture cannot represent his exact likeness, but is instead meant to capture his spirit. But as we’ll discuss below, the memorial is not without some controversy.
The Bus to The Monument
At the time of writing, entrance to the Crazy Horse Memorial costs roughly $30 per vehicle (see more below). But that only grants you access to the museum area, from which you can only see the memorial from afar.
If you’ve already visited Mount Rushmore, at which you can admire the sculptures from right below, you’d naturally expect something similar from the Crazy Horse Memorial. But the visiting experiences are in fact very different.
At Crazy Horse, for an extra $5, you can hop on a bus for a short tour that takes you a lot closer to the monument.
It’s unclear why the bus ride wouldn’t just be included in the standard price. And considering the cost of entry, it was surprising to see such a dilapidated old school bus being the only means of transport.
Nevertheless, all visitors should consider paying the extra fee for the bus ride for a closer-up view. Buses run from 8:30 – 18:30 but only depart when full. In my case, we just had to wait about ten minutes.
But given the unpredictability of the schedule, following a quick look at the museum complex, it would be wise to start your visit with the bus ride.
During the ride, as our guide explained the history of the monument, I did my best to capture photos from the shaky vehicle.
I was under the impression we’d only be able to see the memorial from the moving bus, but eventually we did briefly stop to see it from below for about ten minutes.
Crazy Horse’s face is absolutely massive. It measures out to 87 feet and 6 inches (26.7 m) high, in comparison with the 60-foot high (18 m) head of each Mount Rushmore president.
The massive size of Crazy Horse was likely planned to help it outshine Mount Rushmore, though now many are doubting if the sculpture will ever be finished.
And considering how only the face (and a finger) are all that are distinguishable after more than 75 years of work, it’s easy to see why.
Around the Museum
With the bus ride out of the way, I could spend the rest of my evening exploring the museum area, which is actually an entire museum complex consisting of separate smaller museums with different themes.
While confusing to describe, it will start to make more sense once you’re there and walking around.
As mentioned, while it would be wise to start with the bus ride since it doesn’t run on a set schedule, you’ll still probably want to make a quick stop in the museum complex upon your arrival to get an idea of all there is to see.
Be sure to stop at the terrace, which offers a clear side view of the distant sculpture, along with a scale model of what the finished monument is supposed to look like.
At the time of my visit, we even got to witness a traditional Lakota Hoop Dance, but it’s unclear how regular such performances are.
Aside from the terrace, the museum complex is largely divided into two main areas: one dedicated to Lakota and American Indian culture as a whole, and the other dedicated to the Crazy Horse Memorial’s main sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski.
I happened to start with the latter.
Korczak Ziolkowski
Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982) was a Polish-American sculptor born in Boston. He first began by carving wood at a young age before moving on to marble sculpture.
After making a name for himself as a sculptor, he was invited in 1939 by Gutzon Borglum, the main artist behind Mount Rushmore, to be an assistant on that project.
But Ziolkowski, who had been hoping for a more prominent role, got into arguments with his coworkers and was fired from the project before long.
Ziolkowski would later be contacted by Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear about his idea to create a large memorial for Crazy Horse, to which Ziolkowski readily agreed.
Ziolkowski did not approve of how the Lakota had been treated by the US government, and wanted to do something to help right some of those wrongs.
Planning for the massive project took years, with work officially commencing at Thunderhead Mountain in 1948.
Ziolkowski ended up marrying Ruth Ross, a volunteer on the project, who would eventually take it over upon Ziolkowski’s death in 1982.
Ruth Ziolkowski herself would pass away in 2014, and now her children and grandchildren run the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.
Around this section of the museum, you’ll find various items that belonged to Korczak Ziolkowski in addition to numerous examples of his sculptures. The space is quite extensive, taking over multiple rooms and even buildings.
Some have criticized the museum complex as almost being like a shrine to Ziolkowski. But as we’ll cover shortly, there’s plenty of space dedicated to Native Americans as well.
The Native American Section
As mentioned, the museum also devotes quite a lot of space to Native American culture, with the main space being the Indian Museum of North America.
Inside, you’ll find objects like canoes, ceramics and figurines, in addition to various examples of Native American weavings and tapestries.
You can also catch a documentary screening in the on-site theater, while in another area you can even take home some rocks from Thunderhead Mountain.
The exhibitions are indeed interesting, but frankly speaking, as someone who enjoys visiting anthropological museums throughout the world, the displays seemed rather disjointed and random at times.
I got the impression that some of the art pieces were simply placed as a way to fill up space, and it just didn’t come across as professional as what you would expect from a more established museum.
Considering the price tag visitors pay to visit the memorial, it’s only natural to have high expectations. And this brings us to some of the controversy surrounding the Crazy Horse Memorial.
The Crazy Horse Memorial Controversy
Unlike Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial does not receive government funds (a decision made by the project’s founders, not the US government). As such, along with private donations, it’s the everyday visitor who’s funding the project.
But with so many visitors coming to the Crazy Horse Memorial each day, many are questioning where all the money is actually going. Aside from work on the sculpture itself, funds are said to be going to the Indian University of North America, established in 2010.
Nevertheless, with so little still to see of the sculpture, it’s no wonder why many visitors end up feeling like the memorial is somewhat of a tourist trap.
Another issue is that while the idea for the project came from Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear, not every Lakota likes the idea of an entire mountain on sacred land being permanently destroyed (or at least reshaped) for the project.
It’s not as if stone sculpture was ever part of traditional Lakota culture, while Crazy Horse himself supposedly never wanted to be painted or photographed.
Controversy aside, the Crazy Horse Memorial is still worth visiting during your time in the Black Hills. Even if it never gets completed, the goal of the memorial has been to provide an alternate historical narrative to that of Mount Rushmore, and that’s something it’s certainly achieved.
Additional Info
While Custer may be a small town with under 2000 residents, its proximity to Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, the Crazy Horse Monument, and Mount Rushmore make it a popular place for long stays.
There are plenty of hotels to choose from, but I ended up staying at the Super 8 and have no complaints about it. I found it to be a quiet hotel and I slept well each night.
Other popular options in the area, meanwhile, include the Comfort Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn, and the Rocket Motel.
The pricing system for the Crazy Horse Memorial is rather complicated. Unlike the nearby parks, at which you simply pay per vehicle, the price changes depending on how many people there are in your vehicle, while the price also varies depending on season.
While you can learn more info here, expect to pay between $15-$35 if you’re visiting in summer peak season.